The 14-year-old boy who allegedly tried to drown a Black 15-year-old who couldn’t swim in a Cape Cod pond in Chatham, Massachusetts, in July was released on bond.
John Sheeran was released to his father’s custody on Sept. 11.
NBC 10 Boston reports that Sheeran taunted the teen with racial slurs as he dunked him underwater in Goose Pond on July 19 after threatening him with a stone.
According to the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office, Sheeran and another white friend met the victim at the pond to go swimming. The victim reportedly said that he could not swim and wore a life jacket to wade in the water before Sheeran dunked him several times under the water as the other friend laughed and called the Black teen “George Floyd.” The teens also called the victim “boy” and the N-word.
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The DA’s office released a statement saying the incident was motivated by race.
“Once in the water, the juvenile defendant proceeded to pull on the victim’s life jacket and submerged him underwater 4 to 5 times, causing the victim breathing distress,” said the release. “The third juvenile laughed at the victim during the attempted drowning and referred to the victim as ‘George Floyd.’”
Witnesses told the authorities that they saw Sheeran dunking the victim and also heard his friend calling the 15-year-old “George Floyd.” Sheeran also swam underneath the victim and tried to pull him beneath the water.
The victim reported the crime two days later and revealed that after he told the boys he couldn’t breathe, his so-called friends “started laughing and called me George Floyd, obviously making fun of me and showing NO remorse.” After he cried for help, another young witness intervened and brought the teen to shore.
“When I…
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